Courtesy Rhodes family
Alan Cleveland Rhodes graduated magna cum laude in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Florida State University and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. From the moment he set foot on the engineering campus, he set his sights on the stars.
“I came to Florida State to get an engineering degree so I could work on the space program,” he said in a 2009 interview.
True to his word, Rhodes’ ambitions led him to a career with NASA, where he played a role in programs that shaped the future of space travel.
Rhodes died in 2024. His legacy continues through the Alan Cleveland Rhodes Endowed Scholarship, established by his family. The annual scholarship supports FAMU and FSU students in engineering, physics, math and chemistry, opening doors for future students following his path.
A NASA Career
Rhodes’ career began with several years at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and on international projects before he joined NASA’s Constellation Program. He served as project manager with the Orion Project Office, overseeing space capsule recovery efforts.
“I came to Florida State to get an engineering degree so I could work on the space program,” he said in a 2009 interview.
He became known for his hands-on leadership, fabricating the first full-scale mockup of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and leading post-landing recovery tests. His work helped NASA understand and improve the experience for astronauts returning from space, contributing to the safety of missions intended to carry humans to the moon, Mars and beyond.
He later moved to NASA’s SOFIA program, managing scientific instrument development for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, a flying observatory that let NASA study the universe in infrared.
What was Rhodes working on at the time of his death?
In his final years, Rhodes served as mission lead systems engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center, working on the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), a demonstration of solar propulsion technology for future spacecraft. He received NASA's Exceptional Achievement Medal posthumously in 2025 for his work as lead systems engineer on the ACS3 mission.
The award recognized Rhodes for engineering breadth and adaptability on the ACS3 mission.
In recognition of his contributions to NASA's aviation and space heritage, Alan Cleveland Rhodes' name was inscribed on the National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor, a permanent testament to his commitment and passion for flight. An inscription notes that at age four, Alan drew a picture of himself inside a NASA rocket, a detail that, in hindsight, proved prescient.
A Seminole Leader
As a student, Rhodes took on leadership roles at FSU, serving as president of the Omicron Delta Kappa Society, captain of the crew team, and traveling with the state governor to Mexico as a Beyond Borders delegate.
Alan's mother, Martha Roberts, Ph.D., shared: “Alan had unique abilities to inspire and lead others, whether mentoring young students or managing teams of multidisciplinary experts located across the world with diverse backgrounds. Yet he expertly led them and meshed their capabilities to advance science and space exploration in a superior manner.”
From his first days at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering to his final missions at NASA, Alan C. Rhodes’ path reflects a lasting commitment to curiosity, leadership and mentorship.
To support the Alan Cleveland Rhodes Endowed Scholarship, visit the FSU Foundation fund page.
Editor’s Note: This article was edited with a custom prompt for Claude Sonnet 5, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. The AI optimized the article for SEO discoverability, improved clarity, structure and readability while preserving the original reporting and factual content. All information and viewpoints remain those of the author and publication. This article was edited and fact-checked by college staff before being published. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency in our editorial process. Last edited: 09/15/2026.
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